Vicente

Vicente Rodríguez Guillén, or simply known as Vicente (16/07/1981), is a home grown player who was brought in from Levante UD in July 2000 for a total of ten seasons. He operated as a left winger, though in his beginnings he played in attacking midfield or second striker positions.

Vicente experienced in person and contributed to one of the most brilliant periods in the club’s history, having played European finals, helping the team win the league in 2001/02. But his most remarkable season was in 2003/04, as Valencia CF won the glorious Double (Liga and UEFA Cup) and he was named best Spanish player and featured in the best FIFA world team. He was also capped for Spain in several occasions, making his debut in the game against France on 28 March 2001.

The worst moment in his career came when he picked up a left ankle injury on 29 September 2004 during a Champions League game against Werder Bremen. He underwent several treatments with different doctors which ended in a surgery.

Widely regarded as one of the best side midfielders in the world, Vicente stood out for his speed, dribbling and verticality. The Valencian player excelled for being in constant search for the goal. He had the ability to work in partnership, to play short passes, dribblings and shot accuracy. His will to fight for a spot in the starting XI in competition with ‘Kily’ Gonzalez was remarkable during several seasons. His injuries were a constant setback in his career and he couldn’t enjoy as many minutes on the field as he would have wished.